Sunday, January 10, 2016

CD (Fan) Review – Flash Gordon, by Queen

I
am not at all a fan of Queen, but I have to give them props for
having crafted one of the wackiest, most
bonkers motion picture soundtracks ever committed to record.Just
like the 1980 film itself, the album is full of cheesy goodness,
including snippets of dialogue and sound effects lifted directly from
the movie. Brian Blessed’s exhilarating, maniacal intensity as
Vultan, leader of the Hawk Men, is alone worth the price of purchase–
for both the film and the soundtrack.

None
of this insanity detracts from the music – in fact, it enhances it,
and the music responds in kind. The lead vocals (on the iconic main
theme and its reprise throughout), the screeching guitars, the crazy
keyboards and synthesizers, the pulse-pounding drums, and the kinetic
percussion all function simultaneously as both classic rock and
classic kitsch – a rare feat.

I
highly recommend the 1994 single CD version, which is the basic movie
soundtrack; the 2011 double CD deluxe edition is really geared more
toward die-hard devotees of Queen.

If
you enjoy the movie, you’ll enjoy this soundtrack. If this is all
new to you, but you just want to hear something totally weird and off
the wall, you will not be disappointed.